1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for oxidizing olefins to unsaturated aldehydes and diolefins to cyclic ethers and alcohols to aldehydes and ethers using a silver/boron phosphate catalyst.
2. Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,320,031 discloses a process of catalytic oxidation dehydrogenation of alkenes or alkadienes to furan compounds using a silver molybdate catalyst promoted with phosphorus arsenic, antimony or bismuth.
Br. No. 967,241 discloses a process for the production of .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated aliphatic carboxylic acids from olefins using a solid phosphoric acid catalyst which has been activated with one or more of copper, silver, iron, cobalt, nickel, antimony, bismuth, molybdenum, tungsten and uranium.
German Auslegeschrift No. 1,160,858 discloses using a catalyst comprising a heavy metal oxide selected from copper oxide, silver oxide, chromium oxide, bismuth oxide, tungsten oxide and molybdenum oxide with boric acid and phosphoric acid to oxidize propylene. Acetic acid is the major product in the Examples.